Brief case or the like



Jan. 11, 1938.

S. SOLOMON BRIEF CASE OR THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1936 ATTORNEYS Pat ented- J... 11, 1938 {PATENT OFFICE BRIEF case on THE LIKE:

Samuel Solomon, New York, N. Y.

Application April 9,

8 Claims.

- My present invention relates to improvements in brief cases, portfolios. and analogous devices. More particularly it relates to improvements in envelope types of cases of the character which 6 are closed by a metallic slide fastener or Zipper. Zipper" closed brief cases of several types are now on the market but so far as Iam aware there .is no brief case on the market having a slide fastener closure onlyat the topof the case and i whichis capable of a direct bellows type expansion at all four sides or edges. Usually these cases have gussets along three edges but the front and back of the case are connected directly together along at least one edge. The result of this is that 16 the case'cannot be uniformly filled because there is no'room for-expansion at one edge of the case. When an excess of material is introduced into the case it results either in inability to completely close the Zipper or in. straining andripping the seams ofthe bag. Unless theslide fastener is entirely closed there is the danger of ruining the contents of thebag in inclement weather.

Other types of bags have been provided in which the "Zipper fastening ran along three sides of the bag but with a case of this character complete opening of the "Zipper opens up the entire bag and-it is extremely inconvenient to extract 9. single article from the bag without exposing or spilling its entire contents. In any a event if the bag is fully packed its contents become displaced whenever the bag is open and considerable time and inconvenience is involved in rearranging thembefore the bag can again be closed. 35 In accordance with my invention I employ a case having the usual relatively stiff front and back portions and having one or more partitions disposed between them. The partitions are connected to the front and back sections of the case 4 by flexible gussets at the side edges and bottom of the case, the ends of the relatively stiff partitions'serving to predetermine the fold lines of the gussets. 7

Extending across the top of the case is a top 45 gusset which is fully as wide as the gusset at the sides and bottom of the bag. The gusset is, of course, slit to provide an; opening through which access is gained to the bag and the edges of this slit carry the interengaging teeth of the metallic 50 seam or slide fastener closure.

If desired fold lines in thistop portion of the 5 linesdeflned by the partitions.

1936, Serial No. 73.445

Thus full and complete bellows type expansion may be had and the bag can comfortably accommodate a great deal more material than prior typesof cases having comparable external surface areas. This too without danger of inadvertent opening of the bag or straining of the seams.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brief case embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical sectional view on the line 2-4 of.,Fig.- 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is perspective detail with parts broken away showing the relationship of the reenforcing wires to the partitions at one corner of the bag, and

Fig.5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification.

The brief case includes a front section III and a back section .ll usually made of leather, imitation leather .or some generally equivalent fairly stiff durable material. I have shown sections in and il reenforced by wires l2 arranged in grooves in inner faces of the sections and covered by protective strips l3. This reenforcing construction is disclosed and claimed in my prior patent, No. 1,994,235, dated March 12, 1935 and its use in the present type of brief case is entirely optional.

Disposed between the front and back sectiors of the case are any suitable number of partition members M which divide the interior of the case into a plurality of compartments. These partitions terminate short of the top of the caseso that the top of the case will not interfere with the removal of articles from the front and back pockets.

The partitions are connected along their bottom and side edges with. the front and back sections Ill and il by flexible gussets IS. The gussets are secured to the partition edges by line sci stitching I6 and may be secured to th'eedges of the front and rear section of the brief case by one of the same lines of stitching ll which secures the strip I3 in place. The material which forms the gussets I5 may be in the nature of a. continuous strip extending from the top of the partitions down one side of the bag, under the bottom of the bag, and up the other side or edge of the bag to approximately the point where the top of the partitions terminate.

Acomplementary gusset forming piece l8 exon the line 3-3 of slit are strips of flexible material 2i carrying sets of interengaging teeth 22, these teeth being cammed into engagement with each other by the movement of a slide member 22a. The slide and teeth cooperatively define .a standard type of metallic seam or Zipper closure.

The gusset I8 is preferably just as wide as the gusset l5 so that the bellows or accordian type expansion of the bag takes place with uniformity at all four edges thereof.

The edges of the partition at their point of junction with the gusset member I5 predetermine certain fold lines and I prefer to employ in the top gusset piece I9 some type of reenforcement which will likewise define fold lines in the top gusset member which fold lines will coincide with or form continuations of the fold lines defined by the partition.

With this in mind I employ lengths of wire 23 having their ends bent downwardly to conform the contour of the top corners of the bag. The wires may be secured in place in any suitable fashion. In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive these wires are held in place by a narrow strip of material 24. sewed on the exterior of the case. In Fig. 5 the wires are disposed under the gusset and are held in position by strips of material 25 sewed against the inner face of the gusset forming" piece Ill. The wires are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the gusset member I8, a distance corresponding to the spacing of the partition memberswith respect to the edges of the gusset piece I5 so that the partition and the reenforcing wires will define continuous fold lines around all four edges of the case.

Asbest seen in Fig. 4 the turned down ends of the wires terminate just above the top edges of the partition. With the slide fastener element closed, the contents of the bag will be fully protected in inclement weather. There is no danger of .overloading the bag in such a way that the seams of the bag will be ripped or that the Zipper will be inadvertently opened. The reenforcing wires 23, in addition to defining fold lines in the gusset section II, also serve to prevent this gusset section from folding or collapsing inwardly when the "Zipper" is open.

1. A brief case including a pair of similarly shaped generally rectangular front and back sections, flexible gussets connecting all edges of said sections to permit substantially uniform expan-v sion of the case, a portion of said gusset forming material having a longitudinal slit therein providing access to the case and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, at least one partition- Y forming member dividing the interior of the case into a plurality of pockets, three edges of said partition-forming member being secured to the gussets and said member terminating short of the top of the brief case, said partition-forming member defining fold lines for the gusset portions to which it is connected.

2. A brief case including a pair of similarly shaped generally rectangular front and back sections, flexible gussets connecting all edges of said sections to permit uniform expansion of the case, i

a portion of said gusset forming material having a longitudinal slit therein providing access to the case and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, at least one partition-forming member di-' viding the interior of the case into a plurality of pockets, three edges of said partition-forming member being secured to the gussets and said member terminating short of the top of the brief case, said partition-forming member defining fold lines for the gusset portions to which it is connected, and means defining fold lines in the .top gusset portion which coincide with the fold member being secured to the gussets and said member terminating short of the top of the brief case, said partition-forming member defining fold lines for the gusset portions to which it is connected, and means defining fold lines in thetop gusset portion which coincide with the foldlines defined by the partition, said last mentioned means including a reenforcing wire extending across the top gusset and having its ends bent downwardly.

4. A brief case including relatively stiff front and back sections, partition-forming members disposed between them, and terminating short of the upper ends thereof, bottom and side gussets connecting the front and back sections and the partition-forming members, a top gusset the ends of which overlap the side gussets, said top gusset having a slit therein and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, all of said gussets being of substantially similar width to permit substantially uniform expansion of the brief case. means for reenforcing the top gusset to prevent inward collapse thereof when the slide fastener is open, said means comprising stiff elongated members extending-lengthwise of the top gusset predetermining fold lines therein and having turned down ends.

5. A brief case including relatively stifl front and back sections, partition-forming members disposed between them, and terminating shortv of the upper ends thereof, bottom and side gussetsconnecting the front and back sections and the partition-forming members, a top gusset the ends of which overlap the side gussets, said top gusset having a slit therein and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, all of said gussets I being of similar width to permit uniform expansion of the brief case, means for reenforcing the top gusset to prevent inward collapse thereof when the slide fastener is open, said means comprising wires extending lengthwise of the top gus- 'set and having turned down ends, the fold lines ,of the top gusset which are defined by said wires coinciding with the fold lines defined by thepartitions.

6. A brief case including relatively stiff front and back sections, partition-forming members disposed between them, and terminating short of the upper ends thereof, bottom and side gussets connecting the front and back sections and 75' the partition-forming members, atop gusset the ends of which overlap the side gussets, said top gusset having a slit therein and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, all of said gussets being of similar width to permit uniform expansion of the brief case, means for reenforeing the top gusset to prevent inward collapse thereof when the slide fastener is open, said means comprising wires extending lengthwise of the top gusset and having turned down ends, the fold lines of the top gusset which are defined by said wires coinciding with the fold lines defined by the partitions, and said wires terminating closely adjacent the tops of the partitions.

7. A brief case including front and back sections and flexible gussets of substantially uniform width connecting all edges of said sections, partitions connected to the bottom and side gussets and predetermining the line on which said extending lengthwise oi the top gusset at opposite sides of the slit and predeterminlng fold lines in said gusset which form continuations of the fold lines in the other gussets.

8. A brief case including front and back sections and flexible gussets of substantially uniform width connecting all edges of said sections, partitions connected to the bottom and side gussets and predetermining the line on which said gussets fold, said top gusset having a longitudinal slit therein, separable fastener means to close the slit, and, elongated stifl reenforcing devices extending lengthwise of the top gusset at opposite sides of the slit and predetermining fold lines in said gusset which form eontinuations of the fold lines in the other gussets, said partitions terminating short of the tops of the side gussets and the reeni'orcing devices extending downwardly of said gussets substantially to the points where the partitions terminate.

SAMUEL SOLOMON.

D s c L A i M E R 2,104,Q35.Samuel Solomon, New York, N. Y. Bmar CASE on rm: LIKE. Patent dated J anuaiz assignee, Sar Levine Solomon.

11, 1938. Disclaimer filed December 24, 1941, by the Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 1 in said specification.

[Oflim'al Gazette January 20, 1942.]

the partition-forming members, atop gusset the ends of which overlap the side gussets, said top gusset having a slit therein and a metallic slide fastener for closing the slit, all of said gussets being of similar width to permit uniform expansion of the brief case, means for reenforeing the top gusset to prevent inward collapse thereof when the slide fastener is open, said means comprising wires extending lengthwise of the top gusset and having turned down ends, the fold lines of the top gusset which are defined by said wires coinciding with the fold lines defined by the partitions, and said wires terminating closely adjacent the tops of the partitions.

7. A brief case including front and back sections and flexible gussets of substantially uniform width connecting all edges of said sections, partitions connected to the bottom and side gussets and predetermining the line on which said extending lengthwise oi the top gusset at opposite sides of the slit and predeterminlng fold lines in said gusset which form continuations of the fold lines in the other gussets.

8. A brief case including front and back sections and flexible gussets of substantially uniform width connecting all edges of said sections, partitions connected to the bottom and side gussets and predetermining the line on which said gussets fold, said top gusset having a longitudinal slit therein, separable fastener means to close the slit, and, elongated stifl reenforcing devices extending lengthwise of the top gusset at opposite sides of the slit and predetermining fold lines in said gusset which form eontinuations of the fold lines in the other gussets, said partitions terminating short of the tops of the side gussets and the reeni'orcing devices extending downwardly of said gussets substantially to the points where the partitions terminate.

SAMUEL SOLOMON.

D s c L A i M E R 2,104,Q35.Samuel Solomon, New York, N. Y. Bmar CASE on rm: LIKE. Patent dated J anuaiz assignee, Sar Levine Solomon.

11, 1938. Disclaimer filed December 24, 1941, by the Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 1 in said specification.

[Oflim'al Gazette January 20, 1942.] 

